Boater jailed for assaulting angler

A narrowboat owner who took umbrage against an angler and his children has been jailed for seven years for using a Taser on the angler and firing a shotgun.

The boater, Mark Petty who moored his boat  Lady Jane at Blisworth on the Grand Union Canal became involved with the angler who was with his son and two young daughters, telling him he 'would be back' then went away, returning a short while later with a shotgun and a Taser, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Had weapons

The Court was told that there had been an altercation, during September of last year, with the defendant leaving the scene saying he would be back, so the family decided to leave, but the man arrived back whilst they were packing up their van, and they realised he had weapons with him

He threatened the family with a shotgun disguised as a walking stick, firing it into the air, then held the Taser against the neck of the angler, and pulled the trigger, that made a buzzing sound.

Terrified children

After the shotgun was fired, the son managed to get the terrified children into the van, away from the boater.

The police were eventually called, and found that Petty had ammunition for the gun, that was left out unsecured on his boat, and also discovered a hidden sawn-off shotgun, with no  certificate for the weapon.

Pleaded guilty

Petty, pleaded guilty to assault, and three offences of illegal possession of a Belgium walking stick shotgun, a shortened shotgun and a Taser.

He was jailed for seven years, with Judge Rupert Mayo, pointing out the offences were aggravated by possession and use of ammunition, telling Petty that he must have had to open the walking stick gun, it was loaded, it was primed, the end was removed and it was fired. It did not go off by accident.